THE Davao Occidental Tigers pulled off a 75-73 squeaker over the Paranaque Patriots on Monday to regain traction in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Olivarez College Gym in Paranaque.
Davao, the Third Season champion, clustered nine points, seven by Arth Dela Cruz, to pull ahead, 72-66, with 2 minutes and 52 seconds to go, but Paranaque countered and threatened at 73-75 following a triple by Jielo Razon with 27 seconds left.
The Patriots even got the chance at a reversal after the Tigers turned the ball over, but JP Sarao missed a triple with 2.7 ticks remaining, enabling Davao to recover from a 76-79 beating it absorbed from Caloocan on July 2.
READ : Surging Valenzuela, Negros keep win streaks
Dela Cruz, a former San Beda star whose PBA career was marred by injuries, paced the Tigers to their 11th win in 16 starts with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals.
Mark Tallo added 13 points, 3 rebounds plus 2 steals while Keith Agovida chipped in 13 points.
Paranaque, which skidded to 10-7, got 17 points plus 3 rebounds from Philip Manalang, 10 points plus 3 rebounds from JP Sarao, and 9 points, 13 rebounds plus 3 assists from John Uduba. Razon chipped in 9 points on 3 triples.
In earlier games, the Valenzuela Classics bested the Sarangani Marlins, 73-64, while the Negros Muscovados thwarted the Rizal Xentromall Golden Coolers, 103-94.
With veteran JR Quinahan at the helm, Valenzuela surged ahead, 79-61, and was never headed en route to its third straight win and a 10-8 record.
Quinahan wound up with 20 points and 9 rebounds, followed by Carl Bryan Lacap with 12 points and 3 blocks and Reeve Ugsang with 11 points and 4 rebounds.
Negros goes coast to coast
The Marlins, who tumbled to 4-10, drew 17 points and 5 assists from Ryan Isaac Sual, 13 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists from Marvin Hayes, and 10 points plus 6 rebounds from Coy Alves.
Powered by Jan Fomento and Jonjon Gabriel, Negros led throughout and by as far as 48-23 in posting its third straight win for a 7-10 card.
Fomento poured 28 points, 18 in the second quarter, while the 6-foot-6 Gabriel posted 23 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.
Rizal fell to 9-8 despite the 37-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist explosion of Alwyn Alday, the 16-point, 15-rebound effort of John Apacible and the 16-point, 4-rebound, 6-assist output of Kraniel Villoria.
The MPBL returns to the Caloocan Sports Complex on Thursday with games pitting Manila against Muntinlupa at 4 p.m., Quezon Province against Quezon City at 6 p.m., and Pampanga against Caloocan at 8 p.m.
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